Why I Left Corporate & Why I Came Back

Why I Left Corporate — And Why I Came Back Differently

For many years my career followed a path that felt very straight forward and clear. I was an Account Manager within a fast-paced, high-performing team, in a state of constant learning, growing, always working towards the next KPI and sales quarter. It was structured and predictable in a reassuring way, and there was a quiet confidence and sense of control in knowing what things were and where they were heading.

And yet, alongside that, there was a quiet but persistent pull, a niggling curiosity.

It wasn’t that anything was wrong— I just found myself increasingly drawn to something different. Over the years leading to that point, I had developed an innate interest in health and movement, and over time, Yoga became more than just a way to unwind and move. It was something I genuinely looked forward to. The energy and grounding I found within the practice, the sense of connection with myself in the stillness and the way it reflected how I showed up in life off the mat.

Eventually, that curiosity turned into a simple question I couldn’t quite put down: what would happen if I explored this more fully?

So I did.

Leaving corporate at that point didn’t feel like walking away from something— it felt more like stepping toward something I wanted to understand on a deeper level and immerse myself. I made the decision to purchase and run a barre studio, not because I had everything figured out, but because I needed to try. I wanted to understand and feel what it would be like to build something of my own, and to follow that passion as far as it would take me.

That experience gave me more than I could of ever expected. Running a business is deeply personal—you’re responsible for the big picture and the smallest of details at the very same time. It stretched me in ways I hadn’t experienced before, and it taught me a lot about people, consistency, and what it takes to be solely responsible for the day to day running and growth of a community.

Somewhere along the way, though, I also started to miss parts of my previous world.

I missed the rhythm of corporate life— the structure, the shared direction, the feeling of working toward something collaboratively and alongside a broader team. I missed the scale of it, and the way ideas could grow within that environment.

Coming back to corporate felt like a natural next step, rather than a difficult decision or backwards step. It wasn’t so much about choosing one path over another—it was about recognizing that I value both worlds, just in different ways and for different things.

What’s stayed with me is a deeper appreciation for that balance and texture. I continue to run L’Atelier Flow as a side project while facilitating corporate yoga sessions, and also teaching on a PPT basis. Those parts of my life still matter a lot to me— they keep me connected to that sense of energy and community that first sparked my curiosity.

At the same time, being back in a corporate environment has reminded me how much I value structure, stability, and the opportunity to contribute within a larger context. I find I show up a little differently these day however— I’m much more aware of how I work, what I enjoy, where I best add value and do my best thinking.

If anything, the whole experience has made my career feel less linear and more like something that is textured which can evolve and weave over time. Leaving the corporate world meant stepping off a comfortable ledge to explore something new, including a different version of myself. Returning has helped me to understand how different it can look and feel.

And for now, intertwining both worlds to create my own meaningful version feels like perfect. What does your version look like?